The NBA deemed the traveling violation called on Stephen Curry with 10.1 seconds in Tuesday’s Warriors-Mavericks game the correct call in its Last Two Minute Report.
Curry’s travel came as he attempted a step-back 3 over Maxi Kleiber as Golden State trailed 115-113. It appeared Curry had Kleiber beat, but decided to try to give the Warriors the lead with a 3-pointer instead of driving for a tie.
The call stood because Curry “gathers the ball on his right foot and steps back with his left foot coming down and then his right foot. This establishes his left foot as his pivot foot. Curry proceeds to lift and replant his left pivot foot during his pump fake,” per the report.
Curry also got whistled for a travel on a similar play in the closing moments of the third quarter.
Postgame, Curry told reporters that he didn’t think he traveled on the step-back. But he also admitted it wasn’t the best play he could’ve made.
“Bang, bang situation,” Curry said. “Dumb play by me to not take the layup. Got a little confused on what the time and the score was, honestly. Went for the hero shot.”
Officials have made traveling a point of emphasis this year, and their enforcement has become a unique subplot for the Warriors. Jordan Poole has been called for discontinued dribbling several times, including three times in one game against the Heat.
Several Warriors, including head coach Steve Kerr on Tuesday, have asked for consistency.
“It’s going to be really interesting to see, if we’re going to call that now, we got to call it all the time because it happens 30 times a game, guys change pivot feet,” Kerr told reporters. “So I’m really happy that the officials are going to emphasize it but you got to be consistent with it.”
After Curry’s travel gave Dallas possession, the Warriors had a chance to send the game into overtime and drew up a beautiful inbounds play to Klay Thompson, but he missed as time expired. The Mavericks held on for a 116-113 win, making the Warriors’ record 2-10 on the road.